Events

Historic La Pointe Walking Tour

EVENT DETAILS

Thursdays June 6, 13, 20, 27, 2024 | 2:30 – 4 p.m. 
Thursdays July 11, 18, 25, 2024 | 2:30 – 4 p.m. 

Thursdays August 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 2024 | 2:30 – 4 p.m. 


COST

Adult (18-64): $15 
Teen (13-17): $15 
Senior (65+): $13 
Children (5-12): $5 
Children Under 5: Free 

Advance registration required.
Society members receive a 10% discount, please verify your membership where prompted to receive discount at check out. 


Overview

Secrets of the past and modern historical research collide in this unique, inviting walking tour through La Pointe. Explore downtown La Pointe as you experience island landscapes, architecture present and past, and captivating stories representing the many cultures and people that have impacted Madeline Island's rich history. Watch island stories come to life—from tales about previous residents and migrants, as well as how they made a living in this secluded northern localewhile making one-of-a-kind memories of your own along the way. 


About the Location

Bella and Leo Capser opened the Madeline Island Museum in 1958. Their original collection of artifacts and texts has helped document centuries of island history, while later additions and expansions to the museum paint an even richer, deeper portrait of life on the Apostle Islands. The Ojibwe and other tribes made their home on Madeline Island, the largest of the Apostle Islands, for thousands of years before Europeans first made contact—in Ojibwe, the island is named Mooningwanekaaning-miniswhich means island of the yellow-breasted woodpeckerBecause of its strategic location and ample resources, the island served as a trading center for millennia and later a reliable fur trading post, missionary headquarters and commercial fishing zone for European settlers in the North American interior  

The museum, composed of four historic island structures and the modern Capser Center, contains exhibits detailing Wisconsin history from 17th-century exploration and the era of the fur trade to the arrival of summer islanders, in the early 20th century. 

 

Madeline Island Historical Museum 
226 Colonel Woods Ave 
La Pointe, WI 54850 


Know Before You Go & Accessibility

Tours depart from the Madeline Island Museum. Please check-in 5-10 minutes before the tour. This is an easy walk on paved or cobblestone paths with some walking on grass and a spot of unpaved, dirt walkway. Please dress for the weather. Snacks and water make the journey easier. Bathrooms should be used before or after the tour as there are no restroom stops along the way. The tour may be canceled due to heavy rain. 

  • The museum store is open during operating hours.  
  • Guests may exit and return throughout the day.  
  • No food/beverage allowed.  
  • Restrooms and water fountains are available on site.  
  • The site will remain open rain or shine, except on a gale day.  
  • Unredeemed tickets can be used on another date in the case of a gale day.  
  • No pets are allowed. Service animals are permitted 
  • Because of the historic nature of the buildings, not all areas are ADA accessible.  
  • Guests with additional mobility needs are encouraged to contact the site directly at 715-747-2415 or madelineisland@wisconsinhistory.org. 

Contact

For more information, please contact the box office at 608-264-4848 or boxoffice@wisconsinhistory.org.